


Courage and Kindness

by jackscrutchie



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Cinderella AU, M/M, Male Cinderella, Minor Character Death, blood mention, i'll add more tags later because i'm still really bad at this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11667384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackscrutchie/pseuds/jackscrutchie
Summary: A self indulgent Cinderella AU inspired more by the live action remake probably full of cliches and disgusting lovely dovey shit. <3





	Courage and Kindness

Once upon a time, there was a boy called Charlie.

He saw the world not always as it was -- But as it could be. He was the light of his mother and father's life, a smile constant on his bright and shining face. His eyes caught the sunlight even on the darker days, when clouds covered the skies and rain fell from above. Everyone the boy met became enchanted with him, his laugh and kindness contagious.

Their small family had everything their hearts could desire. Friends, a home and souls full of love. Their family's chateau rested in the outskirts of a kingdom ruled by a gracious King -- Day trips to the village were among Charlie's favorite thing to do, especially when his father went away -- 

"Hello there, little one." The old woman that sold fruit always greeted him this way as she rustled his dusty hair. "Apple for you? You know the cost, Charlie." She set her hands on her hips and waited.

Charlie bounced on the balls of his feet. He had lost track of how many apples this gentle old woman had given him. All she had ever asked for as payment -- Charlie tiled his head up and smiled. Bright and wide, his eyes crinkling. 

"There's that soul healing smile." She returned his smile with her own, holding out a shining apple. "Only the best for my favorite boy."

"Thank you, ma'am!" Charlie took the apple, holding it with both hands and beamed. "Mother!" He turned.

The fair woman behind him smiled and bent down to be eye level with her young son. "My darling. What a beautiful apple. Shall we make it into a pie this evening? For your father's return."

Charlie's father was a merchant. He traveled the countryside, crossing borders to bring back goods to the village and his own home. He was gone for months at a time and yet, their little family loved with more strength than most.

"Yes! Yes, please! Mother can we share with Miss Mary?" Charlie looked back to the smiling old woman, then back to his mother.

"Why, of course, my love... We'll be sure to save her a piece." His mother looked on with tired and loving eyes as the boy threw himself towards the older woman.

"Did you hear that? I'll bring you back a piece when it's all done! Oh! But don't tell Mister Jacob!" His voice dropped to a whisper as he covered his mouth. "I want to surprise him!"

"How very kind of you, Mister Charlie." Mary wrapped her arms around the boy, bringing him close and into a tight embrace. "I look forward to seeing you again, my child." 

"And you, Miss Mary!" He leaned into her arms, exuding all of the love in his warm heart. "I'll be sure to do my best!" Charlie pulled away from the woman, his freckled cheeks flushed. "We must be going now, ma'am. We have a lot of work to do, don't we Mother?"

His mother smiled, resting her hand gentle on his head. "You're very right, love. We must be on our way, Mary." She nodded, her lips curling into a smile, her eyes identical to her son's. "Thank you so very much for the apple."

"Anytime, love." And she turned, but not before blowing a kiss in Charlie's direction.

\----

Tragedy can strike any family. 

It was a beautiful and warm day -- Birds sang high in the trees, smiles were exchanged between everyone in the square. Carriages passed, the men and woman riding raising hands to say hello. 

"Mother, Father! Hurry!" Charlie was excited and who could blame him? They had made what he was convinced of, was the best pie they'd ever made. Now, it was time to bring Miss Mary her slice and surprise Mister Jacob with his. It was all he had been speaking of all day. "Oh!" He stopped just short of running into a man who was hopping down from his carriage. "I'm sorry, sir!" 

"No harm done." The man smiled and tipped his hat, raising a hand to assure Charlie's parents. 

"I'm sorry, mister horse!" Charlie smiled at the animal as it chewed at the bail of hay it had stopped in front of. "Don't eat too fast, you don't want to give yourself an upset stomach!" He gave the horse a gentle pat as he continued quickly down the road.

"Alright, Charlie! Slow down now, son!" His father laughed, beaming behind him. "They won't be going anywhere!" His mother followed, hand and hand with her husband. There was light around them - Love circling the air. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're more excited for this than you were seeing your old man!"

Charlie stopped in his tracks and turned, holding the plate close. "Well, you're always stinky when you come home from a trip!" He pinched his nose with his free hand and stuck his tongue out in his father's direction.

"Oh, is that right?" He smiled, looking to his wife. "Are you going to let our son talk to me this way?"

"My darling," she said, looking up to meet the man's gaze. "Charlie is right."

Charlie erupted into laughter, tightening his grip on the plate. "See! Mother thinks so too!"

"Betrayed by not only my precious son, but my beautiful wife as well?" He clutched at the fabric over his heart. "My heart is breaking!" He stopped, his gaze turned darker under furrowed brows. "Just you wait until we get home. You forget, Charlie... I know all of your most ticklish spots!" He dropped the tone of his voice and laughed. It was the same laugh he used when he told Charlie stories and was reading the villains dialogue. 

"You'll have to catch me first!" Charlie ran, the plate cradled in his arms. 

His father threw his head back and laughed before bringing his wife's hand to his lips. "Ah -- We've been blessed with this one, darling!" 

A crack and a squeal. Two children laughed. A scream.

Charlie's parent's heads whipped around, turning towards the noise. Two boys were running, snickering, from the horse they had just passed -- The poor animal was clearly scared and was running, fast, in Charlie's direction.

"Charlie!" His father called after him, desperation in his voice. His feet moved before he could think.

"Father?" Charlie stopped and turned, the smile fading from his face as he watched the unmanned carriage barreling down the dirt road. Shouts rang down the square, warnings being called out. 

"Clear the way!" "Stop that horse!" "Look out!" People were moving their goods, grabbing their family and friends, taking cover. Crates of fruit we're being knocked over, trampled --

It all happened so fast.

A little girl cried amongst the chaos. She couldn't have been older than four... She looked around, desperate. "Mama! Mama!!" She was in the road.

"Hey! Come here!! Fast now!" Charlie reached a hand out for her, watching the horse quickly approach. 

The girl didn't budge, squeezing the stuffed bear at her side. "Mama!!" Tears poured down her face, her shoulders trembling.

"Charlie!" His father's voice came out horrified. 

The small boy, so full of sunshine and love, had just a moment to react. Charlie lunged forward, shoving the little girl hard and out of the way just before she was under the animal's hoofs.

The plate shattered.

His mother shrieked.

His father stopped dead in his tracks, his breath wouldn't come.

The horse turned a corner and was out of sight, leaving dirt and disaster in it's path.

The little girl was picked up by a sobbing woman, her knees a bit scraped up -- But otherwise unharmed.

Charlie was on the ground, un-moving. His eyes were closed, his right leg twisted -- Blood. His father approached him slowly, his eyes welling with tears. He was deaf to his surroundings, people shouting for help, his wife running up next to him, falling to her knees next to her broken child. 

"Is..." He stopped, unable to say anything else.

His mother reached down, gently cradling Charlie in her arms, tears falling from her panicked eyes. His chest rose and fell, but weakly. "Ah! He's breathing! Arthur, my love! He's breathing!" 

Arthur let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and fell to his knees beside his wife. "Charlie? My boy. Charlie stay with us." He brushed dusty hair to the side before letting his palm rest against his son's pale cheek.

"Don't leave us."

He didn't.

\----

"Hello farmer John!"

"Good morning, Charlie!" The man tipped his hat and smiled from his carriage as he passed by.

"And good morning to you, Major!" Charlie bowed to the horse, receiving a happy nickering from the animal. 

Days had turned to months, and Charlie healed. His smile never faltered even during those first painful weeks -- He learned to walk with a crutch. A crutch given to him by the man that had owned that spooked horse, Major. Charlie held no malice towards the animal, despite being told his leg would hang useless for the rest of his life. "Is your horse okay?" Was the first question he had asked when the man showed up. The farmer, John, burst into tears. "Yes... Yes he's fine." 

The crutch never got in his way. He was almost as quick with it as he was without. It simply became a part of him. He still played, he still helped cook and clean, and he still loved with all of his heart. He was still able to jump into his father's arms ( with a little help ) and he was still able to braid flowers into his mother's hair.

Everything was right again.

"Charlie!" His mother called from the doorway, holding a plate. "I've a surprise for you, my love."

He knew that smell anywhere -- His eyes brightened as he turned to move quickly towards his home and his beautiful and strong mother.

Charlie came away from the accident unchanged in the most important ways -- His smile still out-shined the sun. His kindness still unmatched and his love still burned bright. "I bet I can guess what it is!"

"Can you?" She smiled, quickly hiding the plate behind her back. Her eyes had been fading recently, tired -- But Charlie didn't, couldn't notice. "Go on then, darling..."

He came to a gentle stop, balancing on his crutch just before her. "Is it something that I love?" A smile.

"Well, I certainly think it is." 

"Is it something delicious to eat?" His smile grew, reaching his eyes. 

"I think it could be." Her smile faded for a moment as she took one deep breath -- And curled her lips up once more.

"Mama?" Charlie's own smile faltered, his head tilting to the side.

"I'm alright, my love. Go on!" She nodded at him, going to the balls of her feet. "You've almost got it," she paused for a moment, looking up at the blue sky. "And I fear -- If you don't guess quickly, whatever remains in the kitchen will soon end up in your father's stomach!"

Charlie quickly snapped out of it -- "It's strawberry cake!" He bounced, his eyes sparkling. "Am I right Mother?" 

She gasped, "well, don't I just have the most clever son in the world!" She brought the plate out from behind her, holding it out. "How ever did you guess, my darling?"

Charlie laughed, taking the plate with his free hand. "Oh, I could smell it all the way over there! And when you made me promise not to come into the kitchen," he grinned, "I knew you could only be up to one thing." 

"Your father didn't tell you did he?" She crossed her arms, swaying a bit. She looked a bit pale -- Though the sun was harsh today.

He bit his lip, trying to hold back a smile. "No..."

"Charlie."

"He only gave me a small hint!" He couldn't hold back his smile, seeing his father sneaking quietly behind them and into the kitchen. 

"Arthur." She said, without turning around. 

"Yes... Esther, my love?" He stopped, his foot landing on a particularly creaky floorboard. 

"What have I told you about those hints of yours?" She smiled down at Charlie, giving him a wink. "Do you really..." Her breath caught, but she shook it off quickly -- Her smile coming back. Was there sweat on her brow? "Do you think you deserve a piece of cake?" She turned.

He saw his father's face fall.

"Esther?"

She was swaying again, her entire body almost wilting. 

"Mama?" Charlie bent down setting the plate gently on the ground. "Are you..?"

His father moved quickly as she fell forward, her eyes dull, into his arms. "Esther!" He dropped to his knees, holding her close.

"My..." She said, her voice not but a whisper. "My love?"

Charlie fell towards her, his crutch clattering to the ground. "Mama!" He grabbed onto her hand, holding it tight in his own smaller ones. His shoulders trembled. "What's wrong?"

"Esther." His father watched her face, tears filling his tired dark eyes. "No -- Not yet, my darling."

She'd been sick -- She had been for months now. His father knew, his mother knew, the household knew. 

Charlie didn't.

It started with a cough. Nothing too serious -- Or so they thought. It wasn't long before the coughing produced the blood. It coated her hands and stained her handkerchiefs. Her doctor grew concerned. Her skin paled, her eyes slowly began to sink, her balance was off. She became more and more frail by what seemed to be the hour -- All of this, hidden from her beloved child. Days had turned to months. She wasn't getting better -- Her doctor gave her a time limit.

They were supposed to have more time. 

The woman smiled, reaching her hand out to wipe at Charlie's wet and freckled cheek. "Charlie, my love... I'm going to tell you a secret." She spoke softly, looking back and forth between her husband and child. 

He could see it now -- The exhaustion, the struggling, the illness was clear in her dulled and glistening eyes. "A secret?" His mind trying hard to process everything, trying to hold on to his heart. His father watched, a hand covering his mouth -- Fighting back the tears that stung his eyes.

"Yes, my love. One that you must always remember..." She held her child's gaze. "Have courage and be kind, my darling." She wiped the tears from his face and smiled. "Your kindness, Charlie... It has power."

"Have... Courage?" His brow furrowed with the threat of sobs, his stomach twisted.

"And be kind." She nodded, pulling him to her chest. Only then did she let the tears fall down her cheeks. "Arthur?" She looked to her clearly struggling husband. He reached out, gently embracing the two people he loved most in this world.

"I love you, my darling," he whispered into her hair cherishing every second, every breath, every word they had left. "I love you."

Charlie cried. "Don't leave us."

She did.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you'd like me to continue this one!


End file.
